1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to image forming devices and more particularly to a notched end seal for an electrophotographic image forming device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various seals are used in electrophotographic printers to prevent toner from leaking between the printer's components. For example, toner leakage may occur from the gaps between a developer roll that supplies toner to a photoconductive drum of the electrophotographic printer, a doctor blade in contact with the developer roll and the housing of a developer unit that holds the developer roll and the doctor blade. Seals may be provided to effectively close the gaps between these components to prevent toner leakage. For example, a J-shaped seal may be used at each axial end of the developer roll to prevent toner from leaking out of the junction between the developer roll, the doctor blade and the housing of the developer unit.
The J-shaped seal may include small grooves formed in a helical pattern on a surface of the seal that contacts the developer roll. The grooves are formed between small ribs on the surface of the seal. As the developer roll rotates against the surface of the seal, the grooves direct toner away from the axial ends of the developer roll and back into a toner reservoir in the housing. However, toner may tend to accumulate between the developer roll and the surface of the seal over time due to inefficiencies of the grooves. The accumulated toner may eventually push the seal away from the developer roll creating a toner leakage path past the seal. One approach to the problem of toner accumulation between the developer roll and the seal is to increase the force of the seal against the developer roll in order to resist the seal pushing away from the developer roll. However, the increased force increases the friction between the seal and the developer roll thereby risking damage to the seal, the developer roll and/or the toner due to excessive force or heat. Another approach to the problem of toner accumulation between the developer roll and the seal is to increase the width of the seal in the axial dimension of the developer roll in order to provide added sealing. However, the axial lengths of the developer roll and the doctor blade typically must be increased in order to accommodate the larger seals and maintain the ability to print the desired page width. The longer developer roll and doctor blade may, in turn, increase the overall size of the developer unit contrary to consumer preferences for smaller components.
Accordingly, a seal that reduces the occurrence or effect of toner accumulation between the developer roll and the surface of the seal is desired.